Civil case against Andrew Shirvell likely to go to trial: "He's the former assistant attorney general who was fired in 2010 after criticizing Christopher Armstrong, especially on an anti-gay blog, Facebook posts and during visits to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor."

Gerard Butler in talks to star in Manhunt. Unfortunately it's not about the gay hook-up site.

Barney Frank gives a lengthy interview to NY Mag about lawmaking, love: "I want to get married. I do think, to be honest, if I was running for reelection, I might have tried to put the marriage off until after the election, because it just becomes a complication. But I did want to get married while I was still in office. I think it’s important that my colleagues interact with a married gay man."

The WaPo writes up St. Petersburg's law banning gay "propaganda" and the spreading crackdown in Russia: "'We cannot change the Bible just because it’s fashionable in Europe,' [local legislator Vitaly] Milonov said in his St. Petersburg office, a series of rooms stuffed with gold-leaf Orthodox icons that is housed in a palace built by Czar Nicholas I. 'Now is the time when Russia wants to show everybody else where its moral values are.' The Russian Orthodox Church has expressed support for the new law and called for a similar measure to be adopted on a national level."

Ted Nugent to meet with Secret Service on Thursday: “I support them. I salute them. And I look forward to our meeting tomorrow,” he said. “I‘m sure we’ll have a great conversation…bottom line is, I‘ve never threatened anybody’s life in my life. I’ve never threatened. I don’t waste breath threatening.” Whatever you say.

Man undresses at Portland International Airport in TSA protest: "Asked to explain his actions, Brennan, who was on his way to San Jose, California, said he 'had disrobed as a form of protest against TSA Screeners who he felt were harassing him.' Police noted that he was not under the influence of an intoxicating agent at the time."

roundup: toronto mayor Ford is an embarrassment and a joke, who was only voted in because of district changes a few years ago - he garnered NO votes in the City of Toronto, and won the election by getting votes in the cities that make up the outside of the GTA (greater toronto area). He is the first mayor of the city to never attend Pride or any of the surrounding LGBT-focused events, which is a massive black mark on him, as the Toronto Pride Parade often attracted NATIONAL-level politicians, including the late great NDP leader Jack Layton, who not only marched every year in the parade, but was always out in the village with his incredible wife talking to actual honest-to-God lgbt people and including us in his life and political career.

as for St. Petersburg *yawn* - it's the same nonsense that Rick Warren recently peddled "we can't change the bible" - no, but you can conveniently ignore all the scriptural passages on marriage that affect straight people (forcing your daughter to marry her rapist, anyone?)

Andrew Shirvell is a fantastic example of the insanity of the anti-gay demographic, and if anyone hasn't seen my hilarious personal interactions with him, check 'em out here:
http://littlekiwilovesbauhaus.blogspot.ca/2010/09/crazy-closeted-andrew-shirvell.html

and Ted Nugent is a boring has-been bigot whose fanbase is likely made up of Glenn Beck fans whose daughters are likely reliving Faye Dunaway's infamous scene in "Chinatown" every day...if you know what I mean....

It's concerning that celebrities are touting adoption of pitbulls. Many communities have banned these animals, and for good reason. Just last week, my town had another vicious attack by a pitbull on a small girl - the second attack by the same dog! Don't be taken in by emotional videos - these dogs are bred to fight. That's why they call them "pit" bulls.

Posted by: happyday | Apr 18, 2012 4:51:47 PM

wrong, happyday. they're not bred to fight. they were historically used as nanny-dogs, looking after small children.

pitbulls got a bad rep because too many men with small penises got pitbulls and wanted them to be tough animals.

my best friend and i rescued an abused pitbull years ago. know what happened? two weeks with two homos and she became the Prize Model Dog of the local dogpark.

the breed is not the problem, the problem is always the owners. the breed that attacks children the most? Golden Retrievers. why? simple - their owners think they don't need to train them properly.

word.

Pitbull is also a slang term, not a breed specific term, as "pitbulls" are inherentl mixed-breeds. ours is a staffordshire-dalmation mix.

cesar milan champions the breed, as well he should.

the dog you're talking about in your town clearly is owned by a complete @sshole.

seriously, watch this: http://youtu.be/9zddtSmQ3cI

all it takes to have a well-behaved dog of ANY breed is an owner who knows what they're doing. truth.

Pits raised well and by responsible owners are like pussycats. However, anyone who allows small children near large dogs (and even small dogs) without sharp supervision is asking for trouble, particularly if that dog has not been well-controlled in the past (per your own example, Happyday; that's a badly-socialized dog, not a bad breed). Children's movements are unpredictable and they are inadvertently very rough with animals for a number of reasons, including still-developing find motor control. Dogs are very frequently startled, frightened, and hurt by children, and react per their nature: they bite. You want to keep kids safe? Keep them under tight supervision around *all* dogs and teach them how to behave around animals, particularly animals that don't know them.

Posted by: NaughtyLola | Apr 18, 2012 5:03:30 PM

Kiwi is correct. The only fights my dog has ever had is with pitbulls, but their owners were lazy, obnoxious, immature jerks. With training, any dog can be good. Without it, not so much.

And my dog is a 100-pound Rhodesian Ridgeback who would cripple anything or anyone who came near me. When these pitbulls came after her, she basically laughed. She has a fearsome roar.

Posted by: Paul R | Apr 18, 2012 5:08:00 PM

Happyday, you are wrong. It's the owner not the dog. Any dog can be a fighter/aggressive. There is nothing about pit bulls (which isn't even a breed but a general term referring to a few breeds) that make them more aggressive-- just stronger and more muscular for their size. And if that was the second attack by the same dog, most cities would have taken the dog away.

Posted by: unruly | Apr 18, 2012 5:08:15 PM

By the way, my dog is incredibly sweet and popular in my neighborhood. She's just very protective of me if someone or another dog seems threatening. It's a fantastic breed.

and i'm sure most dog-park frequenters will attest to this - most dog park fights come from some newbie showing up with a dog, of any breed (but often a smaller one, if we're being honest....) that hasn't been properly socialized who comes into the pack and generally f**ks it up for everyone with their inability to control their animal.

there was a lady in our old building with a chihuahua i'd have PAID to seen killed. "oh, sorry, you can't get in the elevator with us, my chihuahua thinks its HIS elevator and he gets territorial."

that's not OUR problem, lady. your dog is badly raised. so get out, because we're coming in, and we shouldn't have to wait for the next ride simply because you can't train your stupid little dog.

Would love to be a fly on the wall at the meeting between Nugent and the Secret Service, watching him grovel and licking their boots while apologizing would be priceless

Posted by: NwYrkr | Apr 18, 2012 6:02:35 PM

LittleKiwi: BWAHAHAHA!!! Love it! Raise the roof!

Posted by: Mic | Apr 18, 2012 6:03:20 PM

Marky Mark was born to sell underwear.

Posted by: jaragon | Apr 18, 2012 6:08:29 PM

God I hate dogs...

Posted by: starpeople88 | Apr 18, 2012 8:54:35 PM

Re: James Franco video. Back in the day, almost all guys who sang along to disco or pop divas were either gay, bi or suspect. I venture no opinion about Gen X guys or Millenials, but what is married Chelsea Clinton doing out with sweet baby James?

Posted by: Contrarian | Apr 18, 2012 9:01:16 PM

Kiwi: sweet to know! And once again, you are correct.

To be honest, I sort of hate most small dogs. Though usually because their owners are weird too.

Posted by: Paul R | Apr 18, 2012 10:47:26 PM

That dude in portland is a joke, What protest? All he did was make a handful of people hate their jobs a little more.

And pitbulls suck, I will save you the bullying kiwi: I don't care.

But since people like them here you go:
http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/how-to-defeat-a-pit-bull-with-your-bare-hands/Content?oid=3708968